Display apparatus

ABSTRACT

A display apparatus for a number of flexible sheets or the like such as posters, advertisement sheets, film sheets or textiles, which are intended to be shown one after the other in a hanging position with the upper edge of each sheet attached to a moveable holder. The holders are carried in a driven endless conveyor with a forward upwardly moving portion and a rear downwardly moving portion. A return roller is rotatably mounted at the upper reversing point of the conveyor so that the holders with sheets can pass over this roller. The driving of the conveyor is synchronized with the driving of a mechanism for raising and lowering at least one feed roller or roll situated above the return roller. The feed roller is arranged to be driven at a substantially higher peripheral speed than the speed of the conveyor, and the feed roller is arranged to go into engagement with the respective sheet when the upper end of the sheet is at the upper reversing position so that the downwardly hanging portion of the sheet at the front portion of the conveyor is rapidly fed up between the feed roller and return roller and is transferred to a downwardly hanging position at the rear of the conveyor.

United States Patent [191 Tornqvist et a1.

[451 Oct.7,1975

[ DISPLAY APPARATUS [75] Inventors: Peter Johan Torsten Tornqvist; Gustaf Shiro Gadelius, both of Lidingo, Sweden [73] Assignee: AB X-Panding Products, Lidingo,

Sweden [22] Filed: Mar. 11, 1974 [21] Appl. No.: 450,192

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Mar. 14, 1973 Sweden 7303560 [52] U.S. C1. 40/32; 40/73.2; 40/72; 40/97 [51] Int. Cl. B09F 11/28 [58] Field of Search 40/32, 72, 73.2, 96, 97

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,045,221 11/1912 Turner 40/73.2

FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 282,576 12/1927 United Kingdom 40/732 205,312 3/1908 Germany 40/73.2

Primary Examiner.lohn H. Wolff Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Ostrolenk, Faber, Gerb & Soffen [57] ABSTRACT A display apparatus for a number of flexible sheets or the like such as posters, advertisement sheets, film sheets or textiles, which are intended to be shown one after the other in a hanging position with the upper edge of each sheet attached to a moveable holder. The holders are carried in a driven endless conveyor with a forward upwardly moving portion and a rear downwardly moving portion. A return roller is rotatably mounted at the upper reversing point of the conveyor so that the holders with sheets can pass over this roller. The driving of the conveyor is synchronized with the driving of a mechanism for raising and lowering at least one feed roller or roll situated above the return roller. The feed roller is arranged to be driven at a substantially higher peripheral speed than the speed of the conveyor, and the feed roller is arranged to go into engagement with the respective sheet when the upper end of the sheet is at the upper reversing position so that the downwardly hanging portion of the sheet at the front portion of the conveyor is rapidly fed up between the feed roller and return roller and is transferred to a downwardly hanging position at the rear of the conveyor.

9 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures US. Patent Oct. 7,1975 Sheet 1 of7 3,909,965

U.S. Patent Oct. 7,1975 Sheet 2 of? 3,909,965

US. Patent Oct. 7,1975 Sheet 3 of7 3,909,965

US. Patent (M11975 Sheet 4 of7 3,909,965

US. Patent Oct.7,1975 Sheet 5 of7 3,909,965

FIG.6

US. Patent Oct. 7,1975 Sheet 6 of7 3,909,965

FIG.8

U.S. Patent Oct. 7,1975 Sheet 7 of7 3,909,965

FIG.9

DISPLAY APPARATUS The present invention relates to a display apparatus having room for a plurality of flexible sheets or the like such as posters, advertising sheets, films with information or advertisement, textiles or the like, the apparatus being provided with a number of moveable holders in which the upper ends of the sheets are attachable, and which are arranged to move in such a way that the sheets are fed one after the other to a viewing position on the front of the apparatus.

The object of the invention is, with simple means, to provide such an apparatus which functions reliably and makes possible quick exchange of sheets in the viewing position with the least possible risk .of the sheets being damaged or worn to an unadmissible degree during changes. This is achieved by the apparatus which, according to the invention, has the distinguishing features disclosed in the claims which are to follow.

According to the invention, the holders are moved along an endless conveying path having a portion moving vertically upwards and a portion moving vertically downwards between two reversing points. At the upper reversing point the holders move over a rotatable return roller. Above this there is a raisable and lowerable rotating feeding roller which, synchronously with the conveying movement, is brought to move between a neutral position and a working position, where the roller presses the upper portion of the sheet against the return roller, thereby accomplishing rapid conveyance of the sheet in the display position. This sheet is thus fed quickly over to the rear portion of the conveying path, where the sheet is bent over the holder and assumes a position hanging downward from it. The underlying sheet is thereby freed and takes up its display position.

These and other details and advantages distinguishing the invention will be explained in more detail in the following description of a suitable embodiment of the display apparatus according to the invention shown as an example on the attached drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic broken perspective view of the apparatus according to the invention mounted in a housing having a display opening in the front side of the housing.

FIG. 2 is a side view of certain essential details in the apparatus, during operation of the apparatus FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view of a detail which is a part of the holders hanging up the sheet and which is connected to chains forming the endless coveyor,

FIG. 4 is a detail view of the conveyor chain drive,

FIG. 5 is a view seen from the front of the apparatus in FIG. 1 without the housing and with a driving mechanism which is modified in relation to the one shown in FIG. 1,

FIG. 6 shows a detail view, partly in section, of the feed rollers and their mounting,

FIG. 7 is an end view of the arrangement in FIG. 6,

FIG. 8 is a view seen from the front of the housing itself as in FIG. 1, and

FIG. 9 is a section through the housing along line 9-9 in FIG. 8.

Referring to the figures, the apparatus shown consists of a separate unit which is removcably placed in the housing in FIG. 1. The parts of the apparatus are carried in a U-shaped frame plate 10 having a rear wall 11 and end walls 12,13.

The housing has side walls 14,15, a rear wall 16 and a front 17. In the front a display opening 18 has been taken up. On the inside of the side walls 14,15 there are devices, not shown in detail, carrying the frame plate 10 of the apparatus in such a way that the frame plate 10 can easily be hooked off and lifted out of the opening 18.

This simple assembly is of the greatest importance taking into account that service should periodically be done onthe apparatus, and that in such cases one can quite simply exchange the apparatus in the housing for a reconditioned apparatus without having to remove the housing from the place where it has been mounted.

In the embodiment of the apparatus shown in FIGS. l-3, an upper shaft 19, an intermediate shaft 20 and a lower shaft 21 are mounted between the end walls 12,13.

On the inside of end wall 1.3 a bushing 22 is further attached for a shaft 23 described below.

A pair of upper chain wheels 24 and 25 are attached on intermediate shaft 20 in the vicinity of end walls 12,13. Below these chain wheels a pair of lower chain wheels 26,27 are rotatably mounted on the lower shaft 21. Two endless conveying chains 28,29 are taken round said chain wheels. Together, these conveying chains form the endless conveyor for the apparatus and are driven in the direction indicated by the arrow 31, ie so that the forward part of the chains moves up wards while the rear part moves downwards.

An electric motor 32 attached to rear wall 11 is provided for driving the parts of the apparatus.

An endless toothed belt 33 is placed around a pinion on the driving shaft of motor 32 and around a pinion 34 rotatably mounted on the upper shaft 19 and having a smaller pinion 35 attached on one side. The smaller pinion 35 drives two endless toothed belts 36,37.

A holder consisting of two arms 38a, 38]) carrying a shaft 39 rotatable relative to arms 38a,38b and carrying a number of feeding rollers 40 made from rubber or similar resilient material is pivotably mounted on the upper shaft 19. A pinion 41, around which the toothed belt 36 is arranged so that the feeding rollers 40 obtain comparatively quick rotation from the electric motor 32, is also attached to the shaft 39.

At the inner end of shaft 23 a pinion 42 is attached which is driven by the belt 37. At its end situated outside the end wall 13, the shaft 23 is provided with an excenter device 43 connected with a linkage arm 44 so that this executes a reciprocating movement when the shaft 23 rotates. The linkage arm 44 is adjustably connected with a radial arm 45 which, via a free wheel or a one-way coupling 46 is connected with the intermediate shaft 20 so that the reciprocating angular movement of the arm 45 causes step-wise turning of intermediate shaft 20 and thereby step-wise forward feed of conveyor chains 28,29. As may be seen from FIG. 1 the end of the linkage arm can be connected to arm 45 in different notches on the latter to achieve different feeding movements and thereby speed setting for chains 28,29.

The chains 28,29 are provided with a plurality of inwardly directed bushings 47 lying evenly distributed along the chains and in such a way that they lie opposite each other on either chain so that associated pairs of bushings 47 will lie on a line at'right angles to the chains.

Associated pairs of bushings each carry a U-shaped stirrup 48 consisting of a light shaft extending between the chains and forming the middle portion of the stirrup which is bent up at the ends to form the shanks of the stirrup in the shape of radial cranks 49 bent in their turn at their ends to form journals 50 inserted in bushings 47. This stirrup forms a holder for a strip 51, or straight edge, consisting of a U-rail hung on the middle portion of the stirrup 48. The strip 51 has a certain width which is utilized in a way seen below.

The upper edge of a sheet 52 is inserted in each strip between the cranks of the U-rail and is fixed between these so that each strip carries a downwardly hanging sheet 52.

While in operation, the electric motor 32 works continuously and thereby moves the conveying chains 28,29 with a relatively low speed so that the holders or strips 51 with sheets 52 move round the conveying path with a speed allowing advertising text or the like on the sheets to be viewed for the desired period of time when the sheet is in the display position in the opening 18. This period is determined by the connection of linkage arm 44 to the arm 45, i.e. the feeding speed which has been set.

A return roller 53 is freely rotatably mounted on the intermediate axle 39. An operational stage slightly beyond that now described is shown in FIG. 2. FIG. 2 should be referred to for the structural features now described. When the strip 51 ofa sheet has reached roller 53, as shown in FIG. 2, the strip 51 will at a certain moment be lying on the return roller 53 in an area forming the contact area for the feeding rollers, when these are swung down to their lower working position. The feed ing rollers 40 are shown in their working position in FIG. 2 but can be swung up from this position to a neutral position.

To achieve the synchronous raising and lowering of the feeding rollers 40 with the forward feed of chains 28,29 the shaft 19, on which arms 38a,38b are attached, is provided with an arm 54 carrying a cam follower 55. This cam follower coacts with a cam 56 attached to the intermediate shaft 39 and the cam is designed to coact with the cam follower 55 in such a way that the feeding rollers 40 periodically carry out an upward and downward movement, remaining in their working position to carry out quick feeding of a sheet 52 as described below.

When the feed rollers 40 are thus brought into their working position in FIG. 2 they will meet an underlying strip 51. As the feeding rollers are driven with a comparatively high speed, they will engage the strip 51 and accelerate its speed. This momentarily large acceleration thus does not occur while directly affecting the sheet but only the strip 51, which means less risk of damage to the sheet. The continued quick feeding of the sheet thereafter takes place by the feeding rollers 40 pressing the sheet against the return roller 53 and driving the sheet out into a loop 57 on the rear part of the conveying path It is this stage in the process performed by the apparatus that is expressly depicted in FIG. 2. When the whole of the sheet has been fed forward between the rollers 40 and roller 53, the sheet has been transferred to a downwardly hanging position on the rear part of the conveying path. The underlying sheet has thereby become exposed on the front of the conveying path for display in opening 18.

The strip 51 passing between rollers 40 and roller 53 will perform a swinging movement about journals 50 while arms 49 swing, and thereafter it will assume the position shown in FIG. 2. If special means were not arranged, an approaching strip 51 would lie on the return roller 53 and could cause the roller to rub against the strip. In practice this could cause a squeaking sound which is not desirable. To circumvent this, there are two supports 58 in the shape of wire stirrups, one at each end of return roller 53. The wire supports have an upper end 59 so arranged that the strip 51 in FIG. 2 will fall against this support and be kept free from the return roller 53. The supports 58 extend downwards and have end portions 60 preventing strips from coming in the wrong position between the chains.

The modified apparatus shown in FIG. 5 differs from the one described above only in as far as the electric motor 61 has two drive take-offs 62 and 63 on either side of the motor. The takeoff 63 is connected to a reduction gear 64 to reduce driving speed of a chain wheel 65 which is connected by chain 66 to a chain wheel 67 on the intermediate shaft 39 for the upper chain wheels 12,24 for conveying chains 28,29. In this case the conveyor speed can only be altered by exchanging chain wheels 65,67 for other chain wheels to obtain a different speed.

In relation to the arrangement of the return roller, feeding rollers and means for carrying the sheets, the apparatus in FIG. 5 corresponds to the apparatus in FIG. 1.

What we claim is,

1. Display apparatus for a number of flexible sheets intended to be displayed sequentially and with the sheets vertically suspended, comprising:

the upper edge of each sheet being attached to a respective holder;

a vertically oriented endless conveyor means having a forward facing, upwardly moving side, and a rearward facing downwardly moving side; an upper return portion near the top of said conveyor means, over which said upper return portion the sheets and their said holders pass; a lower return portion near the bottom of said conveyor means; means for moving said conveyor means, and hence said sheet at a first rate;

a plurality of said holders, one for supporting each said sheet, each said holder extending across and being supported on said conveyor means and said holders being spaced apart around said conveyor means;

sheet feed roller means; means supporting said sheet feed roller means in opposed relationship to said upper return portion and outside the pathway of said conveyor means for sequential engagement .with each said sheet;

shifting means providing intermittent contact between said sheet feed roller means and said upper return portion, when shifted toward said upper return portion, said feed roller being shaped, adapted and positioned to trap a sheet between said feed roller and said upper return portion;

means for rotating said sheet feed roller means so that, upon engagement with a sheet, the sheet feed roller means moves an engaged sheet in the direction toward said conveyor means rearward facing portion at a second rate, greater than said first rate synchronizing means for synchronizing action of said conveyor moving means and said feed roller shifting means, so that said feed roller first moves toward and engages a sheet only when that sheet upper edge is at said upper return portion and said feed roller remains in engagement with that sheet so that the downwardly hanging portion of that sheet at the forward portion of said conveyor is rapidly fed up between said feed roller and said return portion and is transferred to a downwardly hanging position, rearwardly of said conveyor.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said upper return portion comprises a return roller; said return roller being journaled to said apparatus to roll as said return roller is engaged by a sheet moving past it; said return roller being separately rotatably journaled at the top of said conveyor means and being rotatable when said conveyor means is stationary.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising sheet holder guide supports next to said upper return roller and extending, with respect to said conveyor means, rearwardly of and slightly upwardly of said upper return roller and being located rearwardly of the engagement between said sheet feed roller means and said upper return roller, thereby to glidingly support said sheet holders when they have passed over said upper return roller and have moved downwardly toward said lower return portion of said conveyor means.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that said conveyor means is comprised of two endless chains which are separated from each other sidewise and are coaxial; two upper chain wheels and two lower chain wheels; each said chain is arranged to pass about a respective upper chain wheel, and a respective spaced away lower chain wheel, arranged vertically below the respective said upper chain wheel.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said feed roller shifting means comprises: said upper chain wheels being carried on and rotatable with an upper chain wheel support shaft; a cam attached to said upper chain wheel support shaft to be rotatable therewith; a cam follower attached to said feed roller and being in engagement with said cam to shift said feed roller due to the profile of said cam; said cam being profiled to cause shifting of said feed roller in the described said synchronism with motion of the strips and of said conveyor.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said upper return portion comprises a return roller; said return roller being journaled to said apparatus to roll as said return roller is engaged by a sheet moving past it; said return roller being separately and independently rotatably journaled mounted coaxially with said upper chain wheel support shaft at the top of said conveyor means and being journaled to be rotatable when said conveyor means is stationary.

7. Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein each said sheet holder comprises a strip holding the upper edge of its respective sheet; each end of each said strip is supported by a shaft extending away therefrom, which said shaft is shaped in the form of a crank, with said cranks of each said strip being alignable and the ends of those said cranks extending outwardly of the sheet; a plurality of aligned pairs of crank end journals, one each of each said crank end journal pair being on a respective said conveyor chain and said crank ends being journaled for support and for pivoting about the respective said crank end journal.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said synchronizing means causes said! shifting means to shift said feed roller toward said upper return portion when a said sheet holding strip is at said upper return portion so that the operation of said sheet feed roller means initiates on each said holder and the further operation of said sheet feed roller means thereafter achieves rapid hoisting of the respective sheet between said sheet feed roller means and said return portion for transferring that sheet to a downwardly hanging position rearwardly of said conveyor means.

9. Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said conveyor moving means comprises a crank; a one-way rotational motion coupling connecting said crank to one of said chain wheels, such that two-directional reciprocating motion of said crank becomes uni-directional stepwise motion of said chain wheels and said conveyor means;

an excenter operatively driven to rotate by a motor;

a linkage arm joining said excenter to said crank to cause crank reciprocation. 

1. Display apparatus for a number of flexible sheets intended to be displayed sequentially and with the sheets vertically suspended, comprising: the upper edge of each sheet being attached to a respective holder; a vertically oriented endless conveyor means having a forward facing, upwardly moving side, and a rearward facing downwardly moving side; an upper return portion near the top of said conveyor means, over which said upper return portion the sheets and their said holders pass; a lower return portion near the bottom of said conveyor means; means for moving said conveyor means, and hence said sheet at a first rate; a plurality of said holders, one for supporting each said sheet, each said holder extending across and being supported on said conveyor means and said holders being spaced apart around said conveyor means; sheet feed roller means; means supporting said sheet feed roller means in opposed relationship to said upper return portion and outside the pathway of said conveyor means for sequential engagement with each said sheet; shifting means providing intermittent contact between said sheet feed roller means and said upper return portion, when shifted toward said upper return portion, said feed roller being shaped, adapted and positioned to trap a sheet between said feed roller and said upper return portion; means for rotating said sheet feed roller means so that, upon engagement with a sheet, the sheet feed roller means moves an engaged sheet in the direction toward said conveyor means rearward facing portion at a second rate, greater than said first rate synchronizing means for synchronizing action of said conveyor moving means and said feed roller shifting means, so that said feed roller first moves toward and engages a sheet only when that sheet upper edge is at said upper return portion and said feed roller remains in engagement with that sheet so that the downwardly hanging portion of that sheet at the forward portion of said conveyor is rapidly fed up between said feed roller and said return portion and is transferred to a downwardly hanging position, rearwardly of said conveyor.
 2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said upper return portion comprises a return roller; said return roller being journaled to said apparatus to roll as said return roller is engaged by a sheet moving past it; said return roller being separately rotatably journaled at the top of said conveyor means and being rotatable when said conveyor means is stationary.
 3. Apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising sheet holder guide supports next to said upper return roller and extending, with respect to said conveyor means, rearwardly of and slightly upwardly of said upper return roller and being located rearwardly of the engagement between said sheet feed roller means and said upper return roller, thereby to glidingly support said sheet holders when they have passed over said upper return roller and have moved downwardly toward said lower return portion of said conveyor means.
 4. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that said conveyor means is comprised of two endless chains which are separated from each other sidewise and are coaxial; two upper chain wheels and two lower chain wheels; each said chain is arranged to pass about a respective upper chain wheel, and a respective spaced away lower chain wheel, arranged vertically below the respective said upper chain wheel.
 5. Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said feed roller shifting means comprises: said upper chain wheels being carried on and rotatable with an upper chain wheel support shaft; a cam attached to said upper chain wheel support shaft to be rotatable therewith; a cam follower attached to said feed roller and being in engagement with said cam to shift said feed roller due to the profile of said cam; said cam being profiled to cause shifting of said feed roller in the described said synchronism with motion of the strips and of said conveyor.
 6. Apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said upper return portion comprises a return roller; said return roller being journaled to said apparatus to roll as said return roller is engaged by a sheet moving past it; said return roller being separately and independently rotatably journaled mounted coaxially with said upper chain wheel support shaft at the top of said conveyor means and being journaled to be rotatable when said conveyor means is stationary.
 7. Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein each said sheet holder comprises a strip holding the upper edge of its respective sheet; each end of each said strip is supported by a shaft extending away therefrom, which said shaft is shaped in the form of a crank, with said cranks of each said strip being alignable and the ends of those said cranks extending outwardly of the sheet; a plurality of aligned pairs of crank end journals, one each of each said crank end journal pair being on a respective said conveyor chain and said crank ends being journaled for support and for pivoting about the respective said crank end journal.
 8. Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said synchronizing means causes said shifting means to shift said feed roller toward said upper return portion when a said sheet holding strip is at said upper return portion so that the operation of said sheet feed roller means initiates on each said holder and the further operation of said sheet feed roller means thereafter achieves rapid hoisting of the respective sheet between said sheet feed roller means and said return portion for transferring that sheet to a downwardly hanging position rearwardly of said conveyor means.
 9. Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said conveyor moving means comprises a crank; a one-way rotational motion coupling connecting said crank to one of said chain wheels, such that two-directional reciprocating motion of said crank becomes uni-directional stepwise motion of said chain wheels and said conveyor means; an excenter operatively driven to rotate by a motor; a linkage arm joining said excenter to said crank to cause crank reciprocation. 